Second Chances
by CaseyBear1987
Summary: Short story collection featuring the Shitennou :)
1. Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice (Mars/Jadeite one-shot)

It was a day like any other. The sun was beating down, and a light breeze rustled through the trees. Everything was finally at peace after Queen Beryl had been defeated. The five girls who put an end to her could finally resume their lives as normal girls. Everyone had decided to meet up at the park, apart from Rei, who had some chores to do around the shrine. She would meet everyone later. As she swept the stairs out front, she thought about everything she and the others had been through.

Everyone is born with a purpose. It just so happened that Rei and the others served a seemingly more important one than most people. It was their job to make sure Earth was always protected from any outside threats. Rei began to think about the four Generals. She remembered very vividly the night they regained their memories, and how quickly that happiness had been ripped away. The love in Jadeite's eyes as he looked at her was something she would never forget. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she replayed that moment in her head.

As she resumed her sweeping, her two feathered companions Phobos and Deimos began to squawk frantically. That could only mean one thing, that someone was nearby. Rei turned slightly, but before she could fully see who was there, a soft but gentle voice cut through the quiet summer air.

"I found you…" That voice. It was so familiar. Rei turned to look at the mystery person, and when she saw him, she gasped. It couldn't be, could it? The broom she was holding slipped out of her hands, clattering to the ground. She stood in silence, gazing intently into a pair of deep blue eyes. It was him. He gingerly stepped forward, ascending the stairs. Finally, he reached her. Even with him standing directly in front of her, Rei was at a loss for words.

"J-Jadeite?" she stuttered, her voice shaking. He nodded, taking a step closer to her. "B-But, how? I thought you were…" she was so overcome with emotion that she couldn't even finish the sentence. He nodded again.

"I was" he said softly, his eyes never leaving hers. Rei reached up with a shaking hand and placed it gently on his face. The last thing Rei remembered was Jadeite and the others being turned into the crystals represented by their names, and she never thought she would see him or the others again.

"How are you here?" she asked, her voice steady but quiet. Jadeite shrugged, running a hand through his tousled blonde hair.

"I honestly have no idea. All I remember is waking up in…Mamoru, right? That's his name here?" Rei nodded and continued listening as he spoke. "I woke up in his apartment sometime after you guys defeated Queen Beryl. I think the silver crystal resurrected us."

"That makes me so happy" Rei said with a grin. Now, she thought, maybe she and the others would get their happy endings after all.

"Me too" Jadeite grinned, pulling Rei into a hug. "Well, you look like you're pretty busy, so I can go if you want…" Rei took his hand and shook her head.

"No, it's alright. You don't have to. I'm almost finished, anyway." In a matter of minutes, she was finished with the sweeping. She wiped the sweat from her brow, then turned towards Jadeite. "Do you want to come inside?" He nodded and followed her into the shrine. She motioned for him to sit, and he obliged. Rei then disappeared around the corner to the kitchen to prepare a pot of tea. As Jadeite waited for her to return, he glanced at all the different artwork and things hanging on the walls. He was so engrossed by them that he never heard Rei's grandpa enter the room.

"Oh, hello. You must be a friend of Rei's" he said cheerfully, startling Jadeite slightly.

"Yes, my name's Jade…er…Jay" he said, stumbling over his words.

"Nice to meet you. Funny, Rei's never mentioned you…" Jadeite quickly tried to think of a way to explain who he was and how he knew her, but was saved by Rei appearing in the doorway.

"Hi Grandpa" she greeted him, smiling. "I see you've already met Jade…Jay" she stuttered, choosing the same name he had. Upon hearing this, Jadeite flashed her a smile.

"Yes, I have. Tell me, Rei, where do you know him from?"

"Oh, we, uh…we've known each other for a while. I just never really thought to mention it" she said, shrugging casually. It's not like it was a lie…she had known him for a long time. Granted, it wasn't always on the best terms, but there was nothing they could do about that. It was in the past, and now they could start fresh.

"Why not? Do you have something to hide? He's not your boyfriend, is he?"

"No, Grandpa. Calm down" Rei assured him, chuckling nervously. She glanced over at Jadeite, who now had a seemingly sad expression on his face. Shortly thereafter, Grandpa left them alone. There was an awkward silence filling the room, and Rei decided to break it.

"Look, about what I said earlier…I had to lie to him. I can't really explain our history to him. He'd have a heart attack" Rei said softly, placing her hand on Jadeite's. He nodded, turning his head to look at her.

"I understand" he sighed. "But, you really didn't mean it?"

"No" Rei said, shaking her head. "I want to be with you more than anything. And now that we actually get a second chance…" Rei was hushed by Jadeite leaning forward and kissing her softly. As he pulled away, he gazed deep into her eyes.

"I'm glad. I just feel bad about all the trouble I caused you and the others…" it was Rei's turn to silence him, and she did so by gently placing her finger on his lips."

"It wasn't your fault. You were corrupted. All that is in the past now" Rei reassured him, smiling. With the awkward tension out of the way, the two continued their conversation. They were interrupted by the Shrine phone ringing in the hallway. Rei sighed, stood up and walked out the door to answer it.

"Hello? Oh, hey, Usagi. Are you guys still at the park? You are? Great, I'll be there soon. Oh, and I have a surprise…no, I'm not going to tell you. See you soon. Bye." Rei hung up the phone then walked back into the room.

"You want to come to the park with me? I was supposed to meet everyone there a while ago but I got caught up talking to you and completely forgot" Rei explained, chuckling. Jadeite grinned playfully at her as he stood up.

"Sure, I'll come with you. It'll be fun to see everyone and not have to try to kill them" he joked. Rei smacked his arm playfully, stepping in front of him to walk out the door.

"Always a joker" she sighed. As they walked to the park, they talked about how everything was now, and how nice it was to have a sense of normalcy again. Suddenly, Rei looked up at him, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"What's the matter?" Jadeite wondered, looking down at her.

"I was wondering, do you know where Nephrite, Kunzite and Zoisite might be?" Jadeite shook his head, sighing.

"I don't really know. i last saw them passed out in Mamoru's apartment, so I don't know if they're still there, or what…" he explained, his voice getting gradually quieter as he spoke.

"Well, wherever they are, I hope they're okay" Rei said softly. Within a few moments, they would have their answer. When they rounded the corner to the park, they were faced with a slightly bigger group than they were anticipating. The remaining three generals had awoken, and Mamoru had brought them to the park to surprise the girls. Rei and Jadeite sped up and were soon joined with the rest of the group. Finally, everything was as it should have always been.


	2. When It Rains

When it Rains

"Ugh, I'm so tired…all I want to do right now is sleep" Usagi complained, flopping down onto her bed. Luna jumped up next to her, poking her with her paw.

"You can't, you have to study for your entrance exam, remember?" Usagi groaned in response, rolling over on her side and yawning.

"But it's raining…you know what this kind of weather does to me" she argued mid-yawn.

"You can't blame the weather for your laziness" Luna quipped. Without a word, Usagi reached for the pink stuffed rabbit that Mamoru had given her and tossed it at the cat, knocking her off the bed.

"Shut up" she groaned. "I promise I'll study after my nap…" Within seconds, she was sound asleep. Defeated, Luna trotted out of the bedroom and down the hall, deciding to take refuge in Ikuko and Kenji's room. She hopped up on the bed and sighed, wondering to herself when Usagi would start taking things more seriously. After a moment, she decided that maybe a nap wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Well, she can't always be wrong, can she?" Luna muttered to herself before falling asleep.

Meanwhile, at the Hikawa Shrine, Rei seemed to have the same idea as Usagi. She laid on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Rainy weather always made her sort of grumpy, so she thought it was best to stay out of everyone's way until the weather cleared. She rolled over on her side, and was about to drift off, when she heard her door slide open. She turned to see her grandpa standing in the doorway, holding a bouquet of roses.

"Someone dropped these off for you." Curious, Rei stood up and walked over to him, taking the flowers. She noticed there was a card attached, so she took it out of the wrapping and opened it. As she read it, a smile crept across her face.

 _Mars, my love…I know how much you hate the rain, so I hope these put a smile on your face. Xoxo, Jadeite_

"How sweet" she murmured, her mood instantly brightened. She took the vase into her room and set it on her bedside table. Sometimes, all it took was a small gesture like that to make a person feel so loved that their heart might explode with joy. Rei laid back down on her bed and sighed, drifting off to sleep with a smile on her face.

Across town, Makoto was making the most of the rainy weather by baking, as she usually did. Nephrite stood by, watching her.

"I don't understand how you can do that so easily" he mused. Makoto giggled as she turned to look at him.

"It's not rocket science" she teased. "Why don't you help me?" Nephrite hesitated, then stepped up next to her.

"I don't know…I've never done anything like this before." Makoto giggled again, handing him the baking powder and a measuring spoon.

"Just measure out a spoonful of this, and add it to the bowl" she instructed. Nephrite did it perfectly, seeming somewhat relieved. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No, not at all" he chuckled. After a few moments. The dough was mixed and poured into the baking pan. Nephrite put it in the oven, and Makoto set the timer. While they waited for the brownies to finish baking, they decided to find something to watch on the television. Makoto stumbled on a movie she liked, then stopped flipping through the channels.

"Oh, I love this movie!" she squeaked. She contently settled into the couch, and Nephrite slipped his arm around her shoulders. He quickly realized that he probably wasn't going to like the movie, so he focused his gaze on Makoto, marveling at her beauty. After a while, the timer beeped.

"I'll check the brownies" Nephrite stated, standing up to walk into the kitchen.

"Don't forget to use oven mitts" Makoto called after him. He returned a short moment later, smiling.

"I think they're done" he said, sounding unsure. Makoto stood up and followed him into the kitchen to double check.

"Yeah, they are" she said, sounding impressed. "See? I told you you could do this."

"Well, I did have the best teacher" Nephrite said with a wink, pulling Makoto into a hug. She nestled into him, blushing slightly. She hoped they would have many more days like this together.

At the Mizuno household, things were pretty quiet. Ami was reading a book, and Zoisite was watching the rain fall outside.

"Do you ever go for walks in the rain?" he asked suddenly. Ami looked up from her book and shook her head.

"No, not really" she said quietly.

"Why don't we? I think it would be fun" he pleaded. He'd do anything to get her out of the house. Ami thought for a moment, closed her book and set it on the table.

"Okay, let's do it" she agreed, smiling softly. Zoisite walked to the closet in the hall and grabbed their jackets and an umbrella. He walked over to Ami, holding her jacket out so she could slip her arms into the sleeves. He then put his on, and they stepped out the door. He popped the umbrella open and held it up, making sure to hold Ami close so she wouldn't get wet. As they began their walk, both were silent. Zoisite finally spoke up, slightly turning to face Ami.

"So, you want to be a doctor, right?" Ami nodded in response.

"Yes, that's right" she said, turning to smile shyly at him.

"I think that's great. You definitely have the brains for it." Ami blushed at his words, turning her eyes to the ground as they walked. After some time, they walked past a small café.

"You want to go in?" Zoisite asked. "We could get some hot chocolate or something and wait for the rain to stop."

"I'd like that" Ami said quietly. The pair turned back and Zoisite stepped up to the door, pulling it open and motioning for Ami to go ahead of him. He followed her inside, and they found a quiet table in the corner.

"Wait here" he said with a smile, then walked up to the counter to order their drinks. He returned a moment later with a mug in each hand. He offered both to Ami, and she shyly picked the one with slightly less whipped cream on it. Zoisite sighed, shaking his head.

"I got the one with more for you" he teased, causing Ami to blush. The two laughed, then continued their conversation.

Just down the street at the Crown Arcade, Minako was attempting to drag Kunzite inside to play the new Sailor V game.

"Aww, come on. Please?" she begged.

"I can't believe you have a video game named after you" Kunzite sighed. He finally gave in and followed her inside. She bounced over to the game console and dropped a quarter in, then began to play. She soon found out the game was harder than she thought it would be, as she was defeated almost instantly. She sighed, leaning forward to rest her head on the game screen.

"I can't believe I lost" she whimpered. Kunzite placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned her head to look at him.

"At least that's not how your real battles end, right?" he reminded her. She nodded, blushing slightly.

"Thank you. Do you want to try?" she asked, motioning toward the game.

"No, I don't think I'd be any good" Kunzite said reluctantly.

"Look at it this way. You can't be any worse than me" Minako said with a wink.

"I guess that's true" Kunzite teased back.

"Hey!" Minako shouted. "Remember, I kicked your butt once. Don't make me do it again" she quipped, reaching over to smack his arm playfully. The two continued arguing playfully.

Back at the Tsukino residence, Usagi finally awoke from her nap to find that the rain had finally stopped. Ikuko poked her head in the doorway, smiling.

"There's someone here to see you" she said with a wink. Usagi got up from the bed and walked out of her room, and when she turned the corner, she saw Mamoru standing there. Squealing, she ran over to him and hugged him.

"Hey, Usako" he said, chuckling. "Do you have plans tonight? I was thinking we could go see a movie then get some ice cream. What do you say?"

"I say yes!" she giggled, and the two walked out the door. Luna tried to catch them, but was unsuccessful.

"Usagi!" she called. "What about your entrance exams?" Realizing she hadn't been heard, she sighed. "What am I going to do with her?"


	3. The Purest Heart

The Purest Heart

Ever since Usagi and the others defeated the Black Moon clan, Mamoru and the generals seemed to be more protective of them than usual. After seeing them all be captured and knowing there was nothing they could do, they vowed to never let anything like that happen to the girls again.

At the Hikawa Shrine, Rei was meditating in front of the fire. She had been having premonitions that troubled her, and she couldn't figure out what they meant. After several moments, she sighed. She stood up and turned to leave the room, startling slightly at the sight of Jadeite in the doorway.

"You scared me!" she gasped, placing a hand over her heart. Jadeite stepped into the room and stood in front of her, his signature boyish grin appearing on his face.

"Sorry about that. I couldn't help watching you…is everything okay? You seem worried about something." Rei turned her eyes to the wooden floor and sighed again, shrugging her shoulders.

"I don't know" she said softly. "I feel like something bad is going to happen, but I don't know what it is." Upon hearing this, Jadeite stepped forward and took Rei's hands in his.

"If something happens. I'll protect you, no matter what. I promise." Rei looked up into his deep blue eyes and nodded, but couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her gut.

In a dark, ominous laboratory, an eerie looking man cackled over his collection of bubbling beakers.

"I've done it!" his deep voice boomed throughout the lab.

"What is it, doctor?" a woman with long red hair appeared beside him, gazing curiously at the small pod in his hand.

"This" he began, "is a daimon egg. It contains a monster whose sole purpose is to seek out a person with a pure heart and steal it."

"I'm not sure I understand" the woman stated, furrowing her brow. The man continued to speak.

"The three people in the world with the purest hearts have talismans hidden in them. We need them to gain infinite power, and once they are in our possession, this planet will be ours."

"Oh, I see" the woman said, a sinister smile creeping across her face. "Please, allow me to take care of this." The man nodded and handed her the pod.

"Make me proud, Kaolinite."

"Yes, doctor" she purred, then disappeared in a flash. She hovered over the city, trying to find the perfect place to plant the pod. Sensing an unnatural energy coming from the Hikawa Shrine, she landed there, hiding behind a tree. She noticed Rei outside sweeping, and when she saw her she instantly knew. She had found her target. She waited until Rei was out of sight, then released the pod. It floated over to another tree and embedded itself inside the trunk. It was only a matter of time before Kaolinite would know if Rei was one of the three people they were looking for.

Several moments later, Jadeite walked onto the property and up the stairs, sliding the door open partway.

"Are you almost ready?" he called.

"I'll be out in a minute!" Rei answered back. Moments later, she appeared in the doorway wearing a red sundress. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, which wasn't something she usually did. Today was special, though. She and jadeite were celebrating six months together, and going to spend the day having a picnic.

"You look beautiful" Jadeite nearly whispered. The two walked down the stairs, but before they left, Jadeite got an idea. He walked over to the 'tainted' tree and plucked a flower from it, then walked back to stand next to Rei. "There's just one thing missing" he said softly, before placing the flower behind her ear.

There was a sudden flash of light, and before their eyes, the beautiful flower had transformed into a hideous monster.

"Get behind me" Jadeite shouted to Rei, stepping in front of her to shield her from the monster. "Don't you dare touch her" he hissed at the monster. In an instant, Kaolinite was beside him.

"Don't get in our way" she growled, knocking him out of the way. He tumbled to the ground and tried to get up, but couldn't.

"What do you want?" Rei shouted. She pulled out her transformation stick, ready to fight. In one swift motion, Kaolinite knocked the stick out of her hand. It clattered on the ground and slid just out of her reach. Not knowing what to do next, and not wanting Jadeite or her grandpa to get hurt, she ran as fast as she could off the property. If something was going to happen to her, she didn't want the people she loved most to have to see it. She reached a secluded area, and thinking she was safe, she slumped to the ground. She would soon find that was not the case.

Almost instantly, Kaolinite and the monster appeared in front of her. Unable to transform, she was helpless. Was this the end? The monster slinked closer, and just as it was about to attack, it was stopped by a rock hitting it in the head. Rei turned to see where it came from, and was shocked to see Jadeite standing there. Though he was still weak from the attack earlier, he vowed to keep the promise he made to her.

"I told you not to touch her" he said weakly, slumping to the ground. Rei tried to run to him, but was knocked to the ground by Kaolinite.

"Oh, no, you don't" she hissed. "We came here for your heart, and we're not leaving until we get it."

"My heart?" Rei asked, terrified. What did she mean by that?

"Yes" Kaolinite cackled. "Now, say goodbye to your precious boyfriend." Rei looked at him, eyes wide. In that one moment of weakness, the monster was able to strike. When the beam of energy hit her, Rei screamed in agony. Jadeite watched in horror as a glistening crystal emerged from Rei's chest. Kaolinite slinked forward to snatch it, but before she could, she was hit by a tidal wave. When she reached for it again, a yellow beam of light struck her and the monster simultaneously, killing the monster and injuring her. Aggravated, she disappeared into thin air, arriving back at the lab.

"You failed, Kaolinite" The woman hung her head sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry, Doctor. I'll do better next time."

Meanwhile, at the scene of the attack, Jadeite had finally regained enough strength to drag himself over to Rei. He gently pulled her up, resting her head in his lap. He stroked her hair, and tried to figure out what to do now. He heard a voice behind him, then another. He turned to see two shadowy figures examining the crystal.

"They got it wrong" one sighed. The other said nothing, but gently carried the crystal over to Jadeite.

"Here, you can give this back to her" the woman said, smiling softly and brushing a lock of teal hair out of her face.

"Thank you" Jadeite said softly.

"Someone with a heart that pure must be very special. Take care of her" the other woman advised him. Her short blond hair blew softly in the breeze. Jadeite nodded, and gently placed the crystal back into Rei's chest. When she stirred, the first thing she saw was him gazing down at her. A single tear fell from his eye and landed on her face. She wiped it away, then reached up to caress his cheek.

"I told you I would always protect you" he said softly, leaning down to gently kiss her forehead.

"I love you" Rei whispered.

"I love you too" Jadeite answered back, gently propping her up. "Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Are you sure you're okay? If you want, we can go back to the shrine so you can rest…"

"No, I'm fine, really. I promise" she assured him. The two decided to have their picnic another day, and opted to watch the sun set instead. Jadeite draped his arm around Rei's shoulders. And she nestled her head into the crook of his neck. If there was one place she could be for the rest of her life, it was right here.


	4. The Purest Heart, Part 2

The Purest Heart, Part 2

The day after the attack, Jadeite awoke still feeling uneasy. He and the other three generals sat in Mamoru's living room, and they listened intently as he explained what had happened.

"So, these monsters are after hearts?" Zoisite asked, leaning forward in his seat. He picked a coffee cup up from the table and took a drink before speaking again. "Why do you think that is?" Jadeite shook his head, averting his gaze to the floor.

"They're not just after any hearts. They have to be pure. You all know as well as I do that Rei and the others have the purest hearts on the planet." The other three men nodded in agreement at his statement.

"You're right" Nephrite mumbled. "Well, if they go after Makoto, I'll make them wish they were dead" he said, furrowing his brow.

"I'm honestly more worried about Usagi than anyone" Kunzite said with a sigh. Mamoru, who was walking down the hall, stopped in the doorway at the mention of her name.

"What are you guys talking about?" he asked, poking his head into the room. Kunzite motioned for him to join them, and he walked into the room, sitting on the couch next to Zoisite. The four of them explained what was going on, and when they finished, Mamoru sat in silence.

"Are you alright?" Jadeite asked, turning toward him. Mamoru nodded in response, letting out a sigh.

"This is scary…I mean, fighting Beryl, then the Black Moon, those were bad. But this could get nasty fast. We're going to have to protect those girls from these monsters the best we can" he declared. Kunzite, Zoisite and Nephrite nodded in agreement, but Jadeite sat silent. They turned to him, confused. "Jadeite?" Mamoru questioned. Finally, he spoke.

"There's one more thing I forgot to mention" he began. "After Rei's heart was taken, two other women showed up and defeated the monster. Before they gave Rei's heart back, they said something about it being the wrong one. I don't know who they are, or what they want, but we may have to keep an eye on them too."

At the Tsukino residence, The five girls sat up in Usagi's room, listening as Rei shakily explained what had happened to her.

"I'm so sorry we weren't there" Minako said, her eyes filled with sadness. "We could have helped…" Before she could continue speaking, Rei stopped her.

"I don't know if you could have done anything" she said softly. She then explained the two women she saw briefly in the shadows after regaining consciousness.

"Do you think they could be Sailor Soldiers too?" Usagi wondered aloud, stopping suddenly when she heard her mom in the doorway.

"I just wanted to let you know that I have to run to the store to pick up a few things" she said cheerfully. "I'll be back in a little while!"

"Okay! Bye Mom!" Usagi called after her. The girls then resumed their conversation.

"I don't know" Rei murmured. "If they're after these 'pure hearts' too, they might be our enemies. We'll have to keep an eye on them." The other four agreed. A moment later, the phone rang. Usagi got up and called out into the hall.

"Shingo, can you get that?" Shingo?" After there was no answer, she sighed and ran to answer the phone before it was too late.

"Tsukino residence!" she chirped. "Oh, Mamo-chan! You are? Sure, we can meet you. See you soon! Bye!" She hung up the phone then walked back into her room, reclaiming her spot on the floor.

"What's going on?" Makoto asked, curious.

"Mamo wants us to meet him and the others at the fruit parlor. He said they have something to talk to us about." The five girls got up and walked out of Usagi's room, heading down the stairs and out the door.

Meanwhile, at the grocery story, Ikuko glanced down at her shopping list to see what all she needed. She walked down one aisle and grabbed a bag of rice off the shelf. As she turned to leave the aisle, she bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she said, turning to look at the woman. She brushed a lock of red hair out of her face and smiled.

"Oh, don't worry about it" she said cheerily. When Ikuko's back was turned, the woman's smile turned sinister. "I found you" she muttered under her breath, placing one of the daimon pods into the bag of rice. she quietly watched Ikuko as she shopped, and after she paid and left, the woman casually walked out of the store, following her.

At the fruit parlor, Usagi and the other girls sat in the large corner booth, waiting for Mamoru and the others. When they arrived, they walked over to the booth and greeted the girls. They pulled chairs from surrounding tables and sat. No one spoke for several minutes. Finally, Rei decided to break the silence.

"So, what's going on?" she asked, sounding worried. Jadeite was the first of the men to speak. He reached over and grabbed her hand, taking a breath before he did so.

"We're all worried about you ladies" he said, his voice shaking slightly. "After what happened to you yesterday, I don't ever want to be apart from you. If anything happened to you and I wasn't there, I could never forgive myself" he explained.

"We all feel that way" Nephrite agreed, Zoisite, Kunzite and Mamoru following suit. "If we couldn't protect you, we'd feel awful."

"You don't have to worry so much" Minako assured him. "We can handle anything. If we couldn't, it wouldn't be our mission to protect this planet."

Meanwhile, back at the Tsukino residence, Ikuko had arrived home, and was putting the groceries away.

"Usagi! I'm home! Can you help me, please?" she called, then waited a moment. When there was no answer, she began to put everything away herself. After several moments, she heard the front door open, and was greeted by Usagi and the others.

"Oh, mom, you're back!" she said, walking into the kitchen to greet her.

"Well, it looks like we're going to have plenty of dinner guests" she giggled, seeing the other girls plus the five men in the family room. "I hope you all like curry" she said with a smile. Usagi turned to walk back to her friends, and as they wer heading up the stairs, they heard a scream.

"Mom?!" she called out, panicked. She raced down the stairs and back to the kitchen, where she was now face to face with a hideous monster. The others were soon behind her, standing there in complete shock. Beside the monster was a woman with long red hair. Usagi turned to her, demanding answers.

"Who are you? What do you want with my mom?"

"Don't worry about it" the woman hissed. Usagi ran from the room and up the stairs, quickly changing into Sailor Moon. The other girls followed her, transforming as well. They ran back down the stairs and prepared to fight. When they got back to the kitchen, they saw they were already too late. The red haired woman was holding a shining crystal in her hand, and her mom was unconscious. Jadeite and the others were knelt beside her, shielding her from anymore potential danger.

"Who are you?" the woman hissed.

"Don't worry about it" Usagi quipped, charging at the woman and knocking her to the ground. A moment later, the monster was killed by two mysterious blasts of energy. The crystal fell from the woman's hand, and Venus scrambled to catch it. Before she could, it was snatched away by a mysterious woman.

"You" Mars said, recognizing her and the other woman. "Who are you?" They looked at her, their faces emotionless. Without answering her, they began to examine the crystal. Annoyed, Jadeite stepped forward and placed his hand on the teal-haired woman's shoulder.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

"I'm Sailor Neptune, and she is Sailor Uranus" she said softly. "We are on a mission to find the three pure hearts that will save this world from destruction."

"You're after hearts too?" he asked, suspicious. "Does that make you our enemies too?"

"That depends" Sailor Uranus began. "Do you want this world to be destroyed?"

"No, of course not" Jadeite argued back. "What if all of you worked together?" Sailor Neptune shook her head, but before she could speak, Jadeite continued. "You're Sailor Guardians too, so if you all worked together, you could…" he was cut off by Sailor Uranus.

"You don't understand" she said, slightly aggravated. "Our mission is different from theirs."

"Saving the world from destruction? Sounds like you all have the same mission to me" Jadeite muttered.

"They'd just get in the way. They're not as strong as we are" Uranus scoffed. Jadeite was about to argue again, but Mars stopped him.

"It's not worth it" she said softly. "They don't want anything to do with us. Just let them go." A moment later, Uranus and Neptune were gone. Usagi gently picked up the crystal and placed back into Ikuko, then ran upstairs to change before she woke up. The others followed. Ikuko stirred, and when she awoke, Usagi and the others were looking down at her.

"Mom" she said softly. "You're okay!"

"What happened?" she murmured.

"There was a monster, but Sailor Moon and the others got rid of it" Nephrite explained. After a moment, Ikuko had regained enough strength to get up.

"Who's hungry?" she asked with a wink. It seemed everything was finally back to normal for the time being.


	5. Always a Bridesmaid

Always a Bridesmaid…

"Mako, hurry up! You're going to be late!" Makoto stepped out of the bathroom into the hall, cocking her head to the side.

"Since when do you call me that?" she teased.

"I don't know, I think it's cute" Nephrite said with a shrug. "So, who are you meeting again?"

"My friend Sakura. She said she had something to talk to me about." Realizing that she was running even later, she dashed back into the bathroom and grabbed her rose earrings off the counter, putting them in as she sprinted down the hall.

"Be careful…" Nephrite sighed, fearing she might trip and hurt herself.

"Okay, I think I have everything. I have to go. Bye!" she called out, running for the door.

"You forgot your shoes!" Nephrite called after her, picking them up from the floor and running after her. He quickly caught up to her, and she grinned sheepishly as she took the shoes from him.

"Thanks" she said, blushing. She slipped them on, then leaned in to hug Nephrite. "I'll see you later."

"Have fun!" he said, smiling. He watched her walk away, and when she was out of sight, he turned to go back to the apartment. He chuckled to himself as he walked in the door.

"I swear, that girl would forget her head if it wasn't attached."

Moments later, Makoto arrived at Sakura's apartment, and to her surprise, she was early. She knocked on the door and was greeted instantly by her friend.

"Hi Mako!" she squeaked, leaping up and hugging her. Losing her parents was hard, but Makoto met Sakura soon after, and she had quickly become the sister she always wished she had.

"It's good to see you, Sakura! How have you been?" Makoto asked, following her inside.

"I've been pretty well. Can I get you anything?" Sakura asked, turning towards her tiny kitchen.

"Maybe some iced tea—" before she could finish, Sakura cut her off.

"With lemon and honey, right?" she asked with a wink.

"You remembered?"

"Of course I did" Sakura said softly. "How could I forget?" She disappeared into the kitchen and returned a moment later with the tea. She handed the glass to Makoto, then plopped down on the couch next to her.

"So, how about you? Still fighting off the bad guys?" Sakura joked. She was one of the only people who knew Makoto's true identity, and swore she would always keep it secret.

"It's been pretty peaceful lately, which is nice. I'm always ready to fight again, though. You never know."

"That's true" Sakura agreed. "Well, then, what about the not so bad guys? Has anyone caught your eye?" Makoto blushed slightly, averting her gaze to the floor.

"Well, there is someone…"

"Oh, really? Tell me about him!" Sakura insisted.

"His name is Nephrite. To everyone who doesn't know that, he's known as Masato Sanjouin." Before Makoto could continue explaining, Sakura cut her off, completely in awe.

"Oh, him? How did you manage that?" Makoto shifted in her seat, trying to think of the best way to explain this without it being too confusing.

"Remember how I told you that I and the others are actually reincarnations of our past selves?" she began. Sakura nodded, urging her to continue. "Back when it was our job to protect the princess, we always tried to keep her from sneaking off to earth to see the prince. She always managed to get away, so one day we followed her so we could keep an eye on her. While we were on earth, we met the prince's advisors, and it was basically love at first sight."

"Wow" Sakura murmured. "That sounds like something out of a fairy tale."

"It wasn't always like that" Makoto sighed. She explained how the Dark Kingdom took over, and that corruption led Nephrite and the others to turn to Queen Beryl, and everything that followed. When she reached the part of the story where they got their memories back, she stopped talking.

"What is it?" Sakura asked, worried.

"Nothing" Makoto said softly. "This part is just hard to talk about, is all."

"That's okay" Sakura assured her. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But whatever happened doesn't matter. You got your man back, right?"

"Yeah, that's true" Makoto agreed.

"Plus, now you've got a date."

"A date? For what?" Makoto asked, confused. Without a word, Sakura held up her hand, and Makoto's eyes were instantly drawn to a sparkling ring. "Wait, what? No way!"

"Yeah" Sakura giggled.

"Okay, your turn to talk" Makoto teased, demanding answers.

"His name is Riku. We met in high school. We were assigned to work on a project together and ended up hitting it off. I can't wait for you to meet him!"

"Yeah, me too…" Makoto agreed, her voice trailing off. It had been at least two years since she had seen Sakura, and as happy as she was for her, Makoto couldn't help feeling a little jealous.

"Anyway, now I guess I should tell you why you're here."

"Oh, right" Makoto mumbled, turning to face her friend.

"I know we haven't seen each other a lot, but you've always been the person closest to me, so I was wondering if you would be my maid of honor." Sakura asked. Without hesitating, Makoto answered.

"I'd be honored."

-Six months later—

"Mako, you look stunning!" Makoto blushed, smoothing the mint green fabric of her dress in the mirror.

"You think so?" she asked, turning to look at Minako.

"Are you kidding? You're going to be the most beautiful girl there!"

"I hope not" Makoto said with a giggle.

"I mean besides the bride, obviously" Minako teased as she began pinning little white flowers into Makoto's hair. After several minutes she was finished, and it was time to leave. Makoto stepped out into the living room where Nephrite was waiting with everyone else, leaving him speechless.

"Should we leave you two alone?" Jadeite joked. Nephrite shot him a look, then was able to find his voice again.

"Shut up…we have to go. You ready?" he asked, turning to Makoto. She blushed, then nodded. He stepped forward and opened the door, ushering her outside. They walked over to his car and he led her to the passenger side, opening the door for her. Once she was inside, he gently closed the door and walked over to the driver's side, getting into the car.

When they arrived at the chapel, Nephrite once again opened Makoto's door and escorted her inside. They were momentarily separated as he was taken to be seated and she was pointed to where Sakura and the other bridesmaids were waiting. When she walked into the room and saw Sakura, she was speechless.

"You look so beautiful!" she exclaimed, running over to hug Sakura.

"So do you! Can you believe the day is finally here?"

"I know! It feels like it was yesterday you told me you were getting married." Makoto sighed.

"I couldn't have done all this without you" Sakura said with a smile as she and the others lined up to walk into the sanctuary.

The wedding seemed to end as quickly as it started, but it was beautiful, and it was a memory that Makoto would keep with her always. After it was over, everyone headed to the reception hall to celebrate with the newlyweds. When it came time for the bouquet toss, something happened that Makoto never anticipated. She had always been stuck in the "always a bridesmaid, never the bride" mentality, but held on to the hope that one day that would change. Sakura stood in the center of the room, ready to toss the bouquet into the crowd of waiting women, when suddenly she turned and walked over to Makoto, handing her the bouquet. Makoto blushed and stood there in silence, listening as Sakura explained why she had done this.

"Ever since I've known Makoto, she's dreamt of becoming a wife, a mother, and finding her 'happily ever after'" she began. "I know she'll find that, and I want her to have this as a reminder to never lose hope." Makoto, still speechless, leaned in to hug Sakura.

"Thank you" she whispered. Makoto turned to look at Nephrite, and smiled.

After the reception was over, Nephrite and Makoto headed back to the apartment. To their surprise, everyone was still there.

"You're still here?" she asked, chuckling.

"How was the wedding?" Ami asked.

"It was beautiful. I'll be right back" she said with a smile, walking into the kitchen. She took a vase off the shelf and put Sakura's bouquet into it, then filled it with water and set it on the counter. Before she walked back to the living room, she turned to look at the flowers once more, smiling to herself.

"Someday" she murmured, flipping the light off as she left.


	6. Daddies for a day

"Daddies" for a day

After a long, hard battle, the Death Busters were finally defeated, and peace was restored on earth at last. Hotaru had bravely sacrificed herself to defeat Pharaoh 90, and had been reborn as a baby. Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna took it upon themselves to raise her. The three women sat outside on the patio, sipping lemonade and enjoying the peacefulness of the day. Hotaru was playing nearby in the grass, and as they watched her, they were awestruck by what she had done to save them.

"Do you think she ever feels burdened by her power?" Haruka wondered, turning to face the other two. Michiru, chuckled, shaking her head.

"It certainly doesn't seem like it." They continued watching the baby for a moment longer, when they heard the phone ringing inside the house.

"I'll get it" Haruka said, standing up and walking into the house. A moment later, she stepped outside, a smile creeping across her face.

"Who was that?" Michiru wondered.

"The director of that art gallery you've been trying to get your paintings into. They have an opening, and want you to bring some of your pieces in." Upon hearing this, Michiru was awestruck.

"Really?"

"Yes" Haruka said with a nod.

"That's amazing!" Setsuna chimed in.

"Thank you" Michiru said quietly, smiling at her. She then turned to Haruka. "Did he say what time I have to be there?"

"He'd like you there by noon. We can stay here and watch Hotaru. I don't think an art exhibit is the best place for her."

"Oh, but I really wish you'd come. Both of you. We can find someone to watch Hotaru" Michiru practically begged.

"I suppose you're right" Haruka agreed. "Let me see if Usagi and the others can do it." She then walked into the house to call her and find out.

"Hi, Usagi. It's Haruka. Listen, I was wondering if you couild do us a favor?"

"What is it?" Usagi asked. Haruka explained the situation, and Usagi listened intently.

"So do you think you could help us?" Haruka pleaded.

"I really wish we could, but we're out at Minako's family's beach house" Usagi sighed.

"Well, that's too bad. Do you know if Mamoru could do it?"

"He's with us" Usagi said. "But maybe you could try Kunzite and the others. They didn't come with us." Haruka hesitated for a moment after hearing this.

"Those four? Really?"

"It can't hurt to try" Usagi said with a shrug.

"Can they be trusted?" Haruka worried, remembering how the four of them had turned on Endymion in the past.

"Of course. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help." Usagi then gave Haruka the phone number to Mamoru's apartment, and they ended their conversation.

"Thanks, Usagi. I guess I'll try them."

"Good luck!" Haruka ended the call and sighed before dialing Mamoru's number.

"Kunzite? It's Haruka."

"Oh, hi. Mamoru's not here…" Kunzite began. Haruka stopped him almost instantly.

"Yeah, I know. I…needed to talk to you, actually."

"What's going on?" Kunzite asked, confused.

"I was wondering if you guys would mind watching Hotaru for a few hours?" Kunzite hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"The baby?" he asked, causing Jadeite and the others to turn and look at him.

"What's going on?" Jadeite whispered. Kunzite motioned for him to be quiet, then continued listening to Haruka.

"Yeah. Like I said, it would only be for a few hours."

"I've never taken care of a baby before" Kunzite said, worried.

"You're not scared, are you?" Haruka teased.

"No, of course not" Kunzite scoffed. "It can't be that hard. Bring her over."

"Alright, we'll see you shortly." Haruka hung up the phone then turned to look at Setsuna and Michiru, a worried expression on her face.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Setsuna asked. Haruka sighed in response.

"I don't know, but they're all we've got." They quickly packed everything they'd need into the car, and as Haruka was buckling Hotaru into her car seat, she began to wonder if Setsuna was right. She decided to give the men the benefit of the doubt. After all, how bad could it be?

When they pulled to the Mamoru's apartment building, the three women quickly gathered Hotaru and all her necessities, bringing them to the door. Haruka knocked on the door and was soon greeted by Zoisite.

"Oh, hey guys!" he greeted them cheerfully. He motioned for them to go inside, helping them get everything into the small apartment. Kunzite walked into the room, a confused look on his face.

"How much stuff does she need?" he marveled.

"It's not that much" Haruka insisted. "She's a pretty easygoing baby. We fed her before we came, so she should be good on that for a while. She may need to be changed soon…you can handle that right?" she teased.

"Yeah, you can handle it, right?" Jadeite echoed, walking by Kunzite and patting his shoulder.

"Don't you think you'd be better suited for the job?" Kunzite shot back.

"Well, I'd love to, but I was just leaving" Jadeite said, attempting to make a break for it. Kunzite blocked him, folding his arms across his chest.

"Where do you have to go that's so important?"

"I was going to go surprise Rei. Lay off, dad" he joked.

"She and the others are out of town, aren't they?" Nephrite asked, looking up from the book he was reading. Jadeite shot him a look.

"Shut up" he hissed, walking down the hall into the bedroom to sulk.

"Well, we really have to get going or we'll be late. Here you go" Michiru said, handing Hotaru over to Kunzute. He turned pale, holding the baby at an arm's length away from him.

"She's a baby, not a bomb" Haruka teased.

"Shut up" Kunzute muttered, finally bringing the baby in closer to him.

"You'll be fine. We left our cell numbers in her bag if you need anything, Have fun!" In an instant the three women were gone, leaving the four men with baby Hotaru.

"So, what do we do now?" Zoisite asked. Seconds later, Hotaru yawned.

"She might need a nap. Here, give her to me" Nephrite insisted, standing up and reaching for the baby. He took her from Kunzite and headed down the hall with her.

"Hey sulky" he teased, poking his head into the bedroom where Jadeite was. "The baby needs a nap, do you mind if I leave her in here with you?"

"Uh…sure. That's fine." Nephrite walked into the room and placed Hotaru on the bed, surrounding her with blankets so she wouldn't roll off.

"She should be fine like this. Keep an eye on her and let me know when she wakes up" Nephrite instructed, walking out the door. After a few minutes, Hotaru was sound asleep. Jadeite sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. His mind began to drift off, and he was soon imagining what it would be like if he and Rei ever had children. A while later, Zoisite came to check on her.

"How's it going in here?" he whispered, trying not to wake the baby.

"Not too bad, she's just sleeping" Jadeite said, looking at him. Zoisite crept into the room and stood by the bed, looking down at her.

"I can't believe she sacrificed herself to save us" he murmured. "And to have to start her life over now, do you think that's frustrating for her?"

"I don't think so" Jadeite said. "As hard as it is for all of us to see her like this, it's her destiny. You know what I mean?" Zoisite nodded in response.

"I guess you're right." A moment later, Hotaru began to stir. Jadeite gently picked her up and held her close, gazing down at her sweet face. He then looked up at Zoisite, sighing.

"I want one" he said dreamily. Zoisite scoffed and turned to leave the room.

"Talk to your girlfriend" he teased. Jadeite followed him out, still holding the baby.

"Oh, she's awake already?" Nephrite asked when he saw him with her.

"Yeah, I guess she couldn't wait to see her uncle Nephrite again" he joked, setting the baby down in Nephrite's lap. He instantly began to play with her, causing her to burst into a fit of giggles. After what only felt like a few minutes, the intercom in the apartment buzzed. Kunzite walked over to answer it.

"Who is it?"

"It's Haruka. We're here to pick up the baby." A look of sadness filled Kunzite's eyes as he looked at the baby, who was still fully enthralled by Nephrite.

"Come on up" he sighed. They quickly gathered her things so they'd be ready by the time Haruka and the others got up there. When they arrived, Jadeite was almost finished buckling Hotaru into her car seat. He then picked it up and handed it over to Haruka.

"Well, I see you survived" Haruka teased, winking playfully at Kunzite.

"Yeah, I knew we could handle it" he said with a grin. "If you ever need us to watch her again, don't hesitate to ask."

"We'll keep that in mind" Haruka said with a nod, glancing down at Hotaru. "Okay, say bye bye!" Hotaru waved slightly, causing the four men to melt. They waved back at her, and watched as they walked away. Nephrite closed the door behind them, then turned to face the other three men. Before he could say anything, Zoisite spoke."You know, I got some pictures of you with the baby that I'm sure Mako would love to see" he teased, waving his cell phone in Nephrite's face.

"Oh, please don't" he begged, lunging toward Zoisite to try to take the phone. Zoisite dodged him, and the two continued their game of cat and mouse while Jadeite and Kunzite watched, laughing hysterically. This was a fairly typical end to a not so ordinary day.


	7. Chibi-Usa's last day

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this posted...hope you all enjoy! As always, feedback and suggestions for future shorts are welcome!**

Chibi-Usa's last day

It was dark. A small pink-haired girl wandered aimlessly, lost and afraid.

"Hello?" she called out, hearing only her echo in response. There was a noise behind her, and she turned to find a scaly hand reaching for her.

"I'm coming for you, Rabbit" a voice whispered in the darkness. The girl screamed, and before the hand could reach her…

"Chibi-Usa, wake up. You were having a nightmare" a gentle voice said softly. Her eyes shot open, and she sat up with a start.

"Usagi, it was so scary. They were after me again" Chibi-Usa sobbed, burying her face in Usagi's nightgown. Usagi sat on the bed next to her and patted her head, still speaking to her soothingly.

"Don't worry. We defeated the Black Moon, remember? No one is going to hurt you anymore" she assured Chibi-Usa, who sniffled in response.

"You promise?" she asked.

"Of course I do" Usagi said with a wink. "Now, go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" As Usagi started to get up, Chibi-Usa reached for her and gently grabbed her hand.

"Can I sleep with you tonight, mom?" she asked, smiling shyly. Usagi's heart skipped a beat, and she blushed slightly. Chibi-Usa rarely called her that, though they were mother and daughter in the 30th Century. However, when she did, it made Usagi happier than she could describe.

"Yeah, I guess so. Come on" Usagi said, taking Chibi-Usa's hand and leading her down the hall to her bedroom. She climbed into the bed and Chibi-Usa got in after her, snuggling into her. Before they fell asleep, Mamoru poked his head in the door.

"Is everything okay? I heard Chibi-Usa crying…"

"She had a nightmare, but she's okay now" Usagi said, smiling.

"That's good" Mamoru replied, relieved. "I love you both, and I'll see you in themorning."

"Love you. Good night" Usagi said as she drifted off to sleep. Mamoru quietly shut the door behind him and returned to the living room where the four generals were waiting for him.

"I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that you have a daughter" Zoisite murmured, gazing down at the floor. The other three agreed, and Mamoru chuckled in response.

"Yeah, it's still a little weird for me too" Mamoru admitted. "But, knowing it's our destiny makes it a little easier to handle. She's a good kid." As Mamoru thought of the time they had together, sadness filled his eyes.

"Is everything okay, master?" Kunzite asked, looking at him. Mamoru nodded, sitting on the couch next to Jadeite.

"Yeah, I'm just sad that tomorrow is her last day here."

"Well, we'll just have to make it one she'll remember" Jadeite said, placing a comforting hand on Mamoru's shoulder. Mamoru smiled at him, nodding his head slightly.

"You're right, and I know just what we're going to do."

The next morning, Usagi awoke to the sound of a loud crash in the apartment. She sat up in the bed, her heart racing. She looked down next to her and saw that the noise had not disturbed Chibi-Usa. Once she calmed down, Usagi carefully climbed out of the bed and crept into the hallway, not knowing what she was going to find. As she was about to turn the corner, she bumped into someone, and they both fell to the ground.

"Ow" she muttered, rubbing her forehead. She looked over and saw Nephrite on the ground next to her, rubbing his head as well and chuckling.

"Sorry about that" he said, standing up and extending his hand to help Usagi up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just coming out to see what was going on" Usagi said, looking at Nephrite curiously.

"Did we wake you up?" He asked, worried. "I'm sorry about that, your highness" he said, bowing his head slightly. Usagi blushed, and looked down at the floor.

"You don't have to call me that" Usagi said softly. "I'm not the Queen yet."

"But you will be" Nephrite reminded her, causing her to blush again.

"So, what are you guys up to?"

"We were going to surprise you and Small Lady with breakfast in bed, but that's not going so well…" Nephrite sighed, walking into the kitchen. Usagi followed, gasping when she saw what had happened.

"This place looks like a war zone…Mamo is going to kill you" she teased, poking Nephrite playfully in the ribs.

"You're right" Nephrite sighed, looking at the mess before them. It looked like they had used every dish and utensil Mamoru owned. "What should we do?" he asked, looking to Usagi for help.

"I have an idea. You go to the bakery and pick up a dozen or so jelly buns. I know you wanted to make something for her, but she'll like that just as much. Do you think you can handle that?" Nephrite was about to answer, when Jadeite stepped up.

"How about you and I go, Usagi? This mess was his idea so he should be one of the ones to clean it up" he said, turning his gaze to Nephrite. "Don't you think so?"

"I guess you're right" Nephrite agreed, trudging into the kitchen. Jadeite turned to Usagi and smiled.

"Let's go now so we can be back before Mamoru gets up. I want to see what happens to those guys when he sees what they did" Jadeite said with a wink.

"You were a part of this too" Zoisite hissed, throwing a spoon at Jadeite's head. He ducked, causing the spoon to hit the wall. Kunzite tried to stifle his laughter to keep from waking Mamoru.

"Okay, now we really need to go" Jadeite grumbled. Usagi scribbled a quick note for Mamoru and left it on the counter, just in case he woke up before they got back. Then, the two were on their way.

When they arrived at the bakery, Usagi stopped for a moment to admire the pastries in the window.

"Those look so yummy!" she squealed. Jadeite placed a hand on her shoulder, and she broke her gaze into the window long enough to look at him.

"I don't mean to rush you, but we're kind of in a hurry" he reminded her. Usagi nodded, and they walked into the shop. Usagi thought for a moment, then settled on seven each of the strawberry and blueberry. They paid and left the shop, and when they arrived back at Mamoru's apartment, they were surprised to find that it was clean, and both Mamoru and Chibi-Usa were still asleep. The five of them quickly got everything set up, and shortly afterward, Chibi-Usa woke up, followed by Mamoru just a moment later. They walked down the hall together, and when Chibi-Usa saw what Usagi and the others had done, her eyes lit up.

"Did you do this for me?" she asked, blushing. Usagi nodded and Chibi-Usa ran to her, leaping into her arms. As Kunzite and the others watched this, they looked at one another and smiled.

After everyone ate, they were sitting in the living room just talking, and enjoying one another's company. Chibi-Usa smiled shyly at everyone, blushing again.

"You guys really didn't have to do all of that for me" she said softly. Nephrite placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

"We wanted to" he said.

"And that's not the last surprise" Jadeite said with a wink. Chibi-Usa, Mamoru and Usagi looked at him, curious.

"What are you talking about?" Mamoru asked. Kunzite was the next to speak.

"We were thinking, since you and Usagi have some things to take care of today, that we would take Chibi-Usa to the street fair, if that's alright with you." Chibi-Usa's eyes lit up when she heard this, and she turned to look at Usagi and Mamoru.

"That sounds like fun! Can we go? Please?" she pleaded. Mamoru thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah, I guess that's alright. You just have to promise that you'll listen to them, and don't go off on your own, alright?" Chibi-Usa nodded and smiled.

"Yes, daddy." Chibi-Usa then left the room, skipping down the hallway happily. She quickly changed clothes, and was back in a few minutes.

"You ready to go?" Kunzite asked.

"Yup!" Chibi-Usa squealed. After saying their goodbyes, Chibi-Usa and the generals were out the door. Mamoru and Usagi got ready for the day, then prepared to meet with Rei and the others to plan yet another surprise for their future daughter.

At the street fair, Chibi-Usa and the generals were walking around, taking in the scenery. She was nestled in between Jadeite and Kunzite, holding on to their hands.

"What would you like to do first?" Nephrite asked. Chibi-Usa looked around for a moment, then pointed excitedly.

"Look! It's a magic show!"

"Do you want to see it?" Nephrite asked. Chibi-Usa nodded, and the five of then walked over to where the show was and found seats. The show lasted about an hour, and when it was over, they walked around some more to see what else there was. Up ahead, they saw a game booth. They walked over to see what it was, but Chibi-Usa had her eye on something else. There were various stuffed animals hanging around the front of the booth, and Chibi-Usa's eyes went straight to a giant pink bunny.

"Oh, look at that one! It's so cute!" she squealed, reaching up to feel it. Before she could touch the toy, the man running the booth reached over and slapped her hand away.

"Hey, you can't touch those!" he barked. Chibi-Usa pulled her hand back, tears welling up in her eyes. A scowl appeared on Nephrite's face and he stepped forward, reaching for the collar of the man's shirt. Kunzite quickly intervened, pulling Nephrite back before disaster struck.

"Let me go" Nephrite growled. "I have to teach this guy a lesson." Kunzite refused and led him away.

"I'm not happy either, but you have to control your temper. We're supposed to be making this day fun for Small Lady before she goes back to the 30th Century" Kunzite said, his voice calm but firm. Nephrite sighed, unclenching his fists.

"You're right." They walked over to where Jadeite, Zoisite and Chibi-Usa were. She was still visibly upset, and Jadeite was attempting to calm her down. Zoisite thought for a moment, then turned to the others.

"You know what? I think I saw that exact same bunny at a shop in Juban" he said, smiling down at Chibi-Usa. "We can go there and get it, if you'd like." Chibi-Usa's eyes lit up when he said this, and a smile appeared on her tear-stained face.

"Really?" Zoisite nodded in response. The group walked away from the booth, but before they got too far, Nephrite turned to glare at the man one final time.

When they arrived at the toy shop, the giant pink bunny was waiting there for them. Nephrite knelt down beside Chibi-Usa, smiling at her as she marveled at everything the shop had to offer.

"Do you see anything else you'd like?" he asked. She thought for a moment, then blushed and shook her head.

"No, that's alright" she said, smiling shyly. They walked over to the bunny and Jadeite picked it up, carrying it to the cash register. After they paid, he handed the bunny to Chibi-Usa.

"That thing is bigger than you are!" Kunzite teased. "Here, let me carry it so you don't hurt yourself." He then plucked the bunny from the little girl and held it under his arm as they walked out of the shop, prompting hysterical laughter from the other three men.

"What?" Kunzite asked, glaring at them.

"Oh, nothing. You just look so manly, I may steal you from Minako" Zoisite teased, nudging Kunzite playfully. Kunzite was about to say something when his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the caller id, then answered it. After a quick conversation, he hung up and looked at the other three men.

"We should probably head back now" he said. They nodded, then walked to the bus stop to wait for the bus.

After arriving back at Mamoru's, they stood outside the door for a moment before going in.

"Did you have a good day, Princess?" Jadeite asked, smiling softly at Chibi-Usa. She looked up at him and blushed, nodding.

"Thank you so much for everything" she said shyly. "I'll always remember this." The four men smiled down at her.

"There's one more surprise" Kunzite told her. Chibi-Usa looked at him, her eyes curious. He reached for the doorknob and turned it, pushing the door open to reveal Usagi, Mamoru, and the others. The apartment was decorated with balloons and streamers, and the table was filled with various snacks, and a beautiful cake.

"Did you guys do all this for me?" Chibi-Usa asked shyly as she stepped into the apartment. The generals followed her inside, shutting the door behind them.

"Yeah, we spent all day planning it" Usagi giggled. Her eyes then moved to the giant bunny that was still tucked under Kunzite's arm. Before she could say anything further, Mamoru chuckled.

"Hey, Minako, I think you should start giving your man a little more attention" he joked. Kunzite shot him a look, then set the bunny on the floor.

"Chibi-Usa, I have something for you" Minako said, walking over to her and handing her a box. "It's from all of us." Chibi-Usa opened the box and pulled out a scrapbook. She flipped through it, her eyes welling up with tears."

"Thank you" she said softly, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"We wanted to make sure you wouldn't forget us" Minako said softly, brushing her blonde bangs out of her eyes. Chibi-Usa smiled at her, then spoke again.

"I could never forget you guys" she assured them. After that, they spent the rest of the night enjoying one another's company.

After a few hours, everyone began to grow tired. Rei, Minako, Makoto and Ami left, then Mamoru, Usagi, Chibi-Usa and the generals started getting ready to go to sleep. While Usagi and Mamoru were tucking Chibi-Usa in, she turned over on her side to look at them.

"Hey, when I leave tomorrow, is it okay if I leave the bunny here? It's kind of big, and besides, if I keep it here, I'll have another reason to come back" she explained. Mamoru nodded, then leaned over to kiss her head.

"Yeah, you can leave it here. That's fine." Chibi-Usa was about to speak again, but hesitated.

"Is everything okay?" Usagi asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about what a great day it was. Thank you so much for everything" she said, smiling shyly.

"You deserved it, kiddo" Usagi said, winking at her. Chibi-Usa blushed, then laid down, nestling her head into the pillow.

"I love you both so much" she murmured as she drifted off to sleep. Usagi and Mamoru quietly left the room, then walked into the living room to say good night to Jadeite and the others.

"Thank you for taking Chibi-Usa out today. You guys wore her out" Mamoru said, chuckling. The four men laughed softly.

"It was no problem. She's a good kid" Nephrite said with a grin.

"See you guys in the morning" Mamoru said, turning toward his bedroom. As he passed the bunny, he looked down at it and smiled, knowing it was a reminder that he would see his daughter again.


	8. You're My Star

You're My Star

Summer vacation was nearing its end, and the high school entrance exams would be taking place soon. Minako sat on the floor in her bedroom, reading over the things she would need to know for the test. The radio was playing softly in the background, and Minako hadn't been paying attention until one commercial began playing.

"How would _you_ like to become Japan's next superstar?" Minako set the papers in her hand on the table and stood up, walking over to the radio and turning the volume up slightly, barely catching the end of the commercial.

"…Saturday afternoon, at the Juban shopping mall." A dreamy look appeared in Minako's eyes, and she sighed.

"I wanna do that…" she murmured, taking her place back at the table. Artemis plopped down into her lap and looked up at her, his blue eyes filled with sternness.

"You have to focus on your entrance exams first" he scolded, setting his paw on the pile of books and papers that were staring Minako in the face. "You education comes first, then there will be time to play around later."

"You're starting to sound like Luna" Minako whined, laying back onto the pink carpeted floor. She closed her eyes and began to imagine herself singing on a big stage, with colored lights flashing around her and her throngs of admiring fans cheering her on. She was snapped out of her daydream by Artemis' claws digging into her leg.

"Ow!" she cried out, sitting up with a start. "What did you do that for?" she grumbled as she glared at Artemis, rubbing the sore spot on her leg.

"Study, Minako" he scolded once more, then trotted out of the bedroom. Minako tried to study, but her mind always wandered off to that same daydream. After a while, she gave up and decided to try to sneak out. She poked her head out the door, and when there was no sign of Artemis, she made a break for it. Once out of the house, she decided to go to the arcade and ask Motoki what he thought she should do.

"Well," he said after listening to Minako's dilemma. "Here's what I think. Your exams are important, but if the audition is something you really want to do, you should do it."

"You think so?" Minako asked. "You're probably the only person who thinks that way."

"What makes you say that?" Motoki asked, leaning on the counter and resting his chin in his hand. "Usagi and the others would support you, wouldn't they?"

"It's not them I'm worried about" Minako sighed, mirroring Motoki's position. Artemis' words echoed in her mind and she stood up, mustering a smile as she turned to walk out of the arcade.

"I should be going. I'll see you later, Motoki." Motoki waved goodbye and watched her leave. As Minako headed for home, she saw a flyer for the auditions hanging on a telephone pole. She picked it up and skimmed over it, then folded it up and stuck it in her bag. She then headed to the Hikawa shrine to meet Rei and the others. They had also been studying all day (with the exception of Usagi) and they decided to take a break. As Minako walked up the steps to the shrine, she sighed again, trying to push her current problem out of her mind. The last thing she wanted was everybody worrying about her.

When Minako walked inside, she was immediately greeted by not only Rei and the other girls, but also Kunzite and the other Generals. Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and she immediately walked over to him and hugged him.

"What about the rest of us? What are we, chopped liver?" Makoto said jokingly. Minako turned and scrunched her nose at Makoto, giggling.

"Hi, guys" she said, managing a smile. As she sat down with everyone, the flyer she had picked up earlier fell out of her bag and floated to the floor.

"What's that?" Usagi asked curiously, reaching for the paper. Minako blushed and snatched the paper up, stuffing it back in her bag.

"Oh, nothing" she said, trying to brush the incident off. Usagi eyed her suspiciously, then quickly dropped the subject then reached for the plate of cookies on the table, shoving one into her mouth. The rest of the room stared at her in disbelief as they watched her attempt to swallow it.

"It's hard to believe she's going to be queen someday" Jadeite muttered under his breath, causing Rei to giggle.

"Shut up" Usagi grumbled as she finished the last of the cookie and wiped the crumbs from her face. Everyone laughed, then Ami turned to Minako and smiled at her.

"Before you got here, we were all making plans to go to the beach on Saturday. Would you like to join us?" Minako brushed a strand of blonde hair from her face and looked at the floor, then back up at Ami.

"That sounds fun, but I…I can't" she said, hoping no one would question her.

"Aww, why not? What could be more important than hanging out with your best friends?" Usagi pouted, putting her arms around Minako and resting her head on her shoulder.

"I…have to study" she lied. "Those entrance exams aren't going to ace themselves, you know." Minako giggled nervously and began to wring her hands in her lap. There was no way anyone would believe that…

"That's very responsible of you" Kunzite said admiringly, sitting on the floor next to Minako. "Would it be alright if I came over to help you?" His smile told her that he knew she was up to something, so she had to come up with an excuse to keep him away, and she had to do it fast.

"Oh, you don't have to do that" she said, giggling nervously again. "You'd be too much of a distraction to me" she said with a wink.

"Well, alright" Kunzite sighed. "If you're sure…"

"I am" Minako said with a nod. She then pretended to look at her watch and stood up. "You know, I really should get going. I'm kind of tired so I'm going to go home and take a nap. I'll see you guys later!" The blonde hurried out of the shrine, not realizing that the flyer had fallen out of her bag. Kunzite picked it up and unfolded it, then scanned it with his eyes.

"So, that's what she was hiding" he muttered.

"What did you say?" Makoto asked, cocking her head to the side curiously.

"Oh, uh, nothing" Kunzite said as he folded the paper and slipped it into his pocket.

When Saturday came, Minako woke up early enough to sneak out of the house without Artemis noticing. When she arrived at the auditions, she signed in and quickly ducked into the bathroom to fix her hair and makeup. When she walked out, she bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she said, blushing. When she looked up, she realized that she had bumped into Kunzite. Her eyes widened and she began to blush more furiously than before.

"W-What are you doing here?" she asked. Kunzite smiled at her and pulled a single rose out from hehind his back and handed it to her.

"When you left Rei's the other day, you dropped your flyer. I found it, and decided to come surprise you."

"Really?" Minako asked, smiling shyly. "Thank you." Kunzite pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Of course" Kunzite said softly. "Everyone else came too, they're all sitting down already, so I should go join them. Good luck," He bent down and kissed her once more before turning to leave. Minako waited nervously for her turn to take the stage.

After the competition ended, it was revealed that Minako did not advance to the next round. She exited the stage feeling defeated, and ducked backstage to pull herself together. She slumped to the ground and wiped a tear from her cheek, then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Kunzite standing next to her. She broke her eye contact and buried her face in her knees, prompting Kunzite to sit down next to her.

"Are you doing okay?" he asked, concerned. Minako raised her head and shook it, but before she could hide her face again, Kunzite caught her.

"I thought I had it this time" Minako sniffled. Kunzite took her in his arms and stroked her hair.

"Don't give up" he said. "You're too good. You'll make it one day."

"Do you really think so?" Minako asked, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. Kunzite nodded and held her tighter.

"I think you will, if you want it enough" he said, causing Minako to smile through her tears. "But just remember, even if you never become famous, you'll always be my star."


	9. Paging Dr Mizuno

Paging Dr. Mizuno

It was the morning of September 10th, which just happened to be Ami's birthday. She sat up in her bed and stretched, smiling happily. She and Zoisite were going to spend the day together. They had planned this weeks ago, and she was excited that the day was finally here. She pulled the blanket down and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, sitting there for a moment. She could hear her phone faintly ringing in the kitchen, so she quickly sprinted down the hall to try to get to it before it was too late. She reached for it and answered it, trying to catch her breath.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ami." The voice on the other end of the line sounded like Zoisite, but it was so faint she could barely make it out.

"Zoisite? Is that you?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah, it's me."

"I'm not trying to be rude, but you sound terrible" Ami said, worried. "Is everything okay?"

"Well, I woke up this morning and my throat felt like it was on fire, and I could barely breathe out my nose. I wish I didn't have to do this, but I think we'll have to postpone our date until I feel better" Zoisite said apologetically. Ami's cheery disposition faded upon hearing these words, but she tried not to let it show too clearly.

"I understand. I hope you get better soon. Do you need anything?"

"Well…" Zoisite paused and Ami could hear a muffled cough. "Mamoru and the others are out running errands, and I haven't been able to get up to see what there is, so I'm not sure." Hearing this, Ami furrowed her brow and huffed slightly.

"Did they check on you before they left?" she demanded.

"Calm down, sweetie" Zoisite said, sensing the tension in her voice. "They did make sure I was alive before they left. It's the shape I'll be in when they get back that I'm worried about" he joked. Ami huffed again and rolled her eyes.

"That's not funny. Do you need me to come over and take care of you?" she asked.

"I don't want you to get sick…" Zoisite replied, but his argument wouldn't work on Ami.

"I'm coming over" she insisted. "I'm going to run to the store to pick up a few things, then I'll be there." Zoisite sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing. As quiet as Ami was, she did have her moments, and he learned very quickly when not to fight her.

"Alright" Zoisite sighed in defeat. There's a spare key under the doormat. I'll see you soon." After the conversation ended, Ami got dressed and headed to the store. She quickly found everything she thought she might need, paid, and headed for Mamoru's apartment. When she arrived, she found the key under the mat and unlocked the door, stepping in quietly and shutting it behind her.

"I'm here!" she called out. She could hear Zoisite coughing, so after she put her bags in the kitchen, she followed the sound and found him in the bedroom, curled up on the floor.

"What are you doing out of bed?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

"Well, I wanted to try to move to the living room where I'd probably be more comfortable, but when I stood up I got dizzy and fell" Zoisite explained. Ami shook her head and furrowed her brow for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.

"You should be more careful" she scolded, walking over and kneeling next to him. She placed a hand on his forehead and frowned. "You have a fever. Let me help you up" she said softly, standing up and extending her hand to Zoisite. He took it and stood up shakily. Ami helped him back into the bed, then turned to walk toward the door.

"I'll be right back" she said, then walked down the hall. She walked into the kitchen and over to the stove, and turned it on to heat up the water kettle. She then poured a large glass of orange juice and set it on the counter, then waited patiently for the kettle to finish heating. When it was ready, she pulled a cup of instant ramen out of one of the bags and tore the lid off, filling it with the hot water. When it was ready, she transferred it into a large bowl. She walked around the kitchen, looking for a tray to set everything on. Once she found one, she set the juice and the soup on it, along with some cold medicine and throat drops. She carefully carried the tray down the hall, and when she appeared in the doorway of Zoisite's bedroom, he saw what she had done for him and smiled weakly.

"You didn't have to do that" he haid, blushing. Ami carried the tray over to him and set it on his lap, shaking her head.

"I know" she said softly. "I wanted to." She sat on the bed next to him and watched as he began to sip at the broth in the soup. The two of them were silent for a while, until Zoisite finally looked Ami in the eyes and spoke.

"I'm sorry I ruined your birthday" he sighed. Ami looked at him and gently placed her hand on his, causing him to blush again.

"You didn't" she assured him. "Even if this isn't what we had planned, I still got to spend the day with you, and that makes me happier than you know." Hearing this, the worry faded from Zoisite's face. He smiled at her and began to speak again.

"I'm glad to hear that. I promise, as soon as I feel better, I'll make it up to you."

"I can't wait" Ami said softly, leaning forward and resting her head on his shoulder. A moment later, they heard the front door open. Ami stepped out into the hall and noticed that Mamoru and the others had returned. When they saw Ami, they seemed surprised.

"What are you doing here?" Mamoru asked.

"Oh, I came over to take care of Zoisite while you guys were gone. I hope that's okay…" Ami answered shyly, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it" Mamoru chuckled. "We felt bad for leaving him, but I'm glad you were here." Ami blushed again, then looked up at Mamoru.

"He's doing much better now. Since you guys are back, I guess I'd better go…" she said.

"You can stay if you want to" Mamoru assured her. "I know he'd love that."

"I know" Ami said, smiling shyly. "I'd love to, but I do have to get home. Usagi and the others are taking me out for my birthday."

"Oh, that's right…" Mamoru said. "Well, I'm sorry you had to spend your birthday taking care of Zoisite…he can be such a baby when he's sick."

"I heard that!" Zoisite called from the bedroom. Ami giggled, then turned back into the hall. She stood in the bedroom doorway, looking at Zoisite worriedly.

"As much as I hate to leave you, I have to get going" she said sadly. "Are you going to be alright?" Zoisite nodded and smiled at her.

"Yeah, I feel much better now, thanks to you."

"I'm glad. I hope the others take care of you. Call me if they don't" Ami teased, winking playfully. "Get some rest, okay?" Zoisite nodded and settled into his bed.

"Thank you for everything" he said sleepily before drifting off. Ami quietly shut the door behind her and walked out to the door, turning to say goodbye to Mamoru and the others before she left. As she walked home, she couldn't help but smile the whole way. Even though the day hadn't gone as planned, it still turned out to be the best birthday she'd had yet.


	10. Valentines Day Disaster

Valentine's Day "Disaster"

-February 13th-

It was the morning before Valentine's Day. Jadeite awoke to the sound of muffled laughter coming from the living room. He sat up in his bed and yawned, brushing the unnatural cowlicks out of his hair before stepping outside his room to investigate the noise. He walked into the living room and found Zoisite curled up on the floor, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. Kunzite was sitting on the couch, a mildly annoyed expression on his face. In his lap, he held a pink stuffed bunny with a mustache on its face. It was holding a heart that read "I 'mustache' you to be mine". Seeing this, Jadeite shook his head and stepped into the room.

"What's that for?" he asked, stifling a giggle.

"It's Minako's Valentine's Day gift" Kunzite replied, still unamused. Jadeite looked at him, confused.

"Isn't that a while away?" Kunzite and the others shook their heads and pointed to the calendar on the wall. Jadeite walked over and looked at it, and he could feel the color drain from his face. "What?! It's tomorrow? What am I going to do?" He began to pace back and forth frantically, until Nephrite stood up and grabbed his shoulders.

"Jadeite, calm down. I have an idea." After talking with Nephrite, Jadeite went back to his room to get dressed, and headed out for the day. He stopped at a local florist and picked up a single red rose in a vase and a card. After filling out the card, he sealed it in the envelope. He then headed for the Hikawa Shrine. When he arrived, he stood in front of the stairs and gulped nervously before walking up to the shrine. He rang the bell outside the door and was greeted a moment later by Rei's Grandpa.

"Can I help you?" he asked, craning his neck to look up at Jadeite.

"I…uh…is Rei home?" Jadeite stuttered. Grandpa shook his head.

"I'm sorry, she's not here right now. Can I give her a message?" His eyes then drifted to the rose, and before Jadeite could say anything further, Grandpa began to flip out.

"Is that for her?" he demanded. Jadeite blushed and took a step back.

"I…uh…"

"What's your name, young man?"

"It's Jadeite" Jadeite responded, then mentally kicked himself. Grandpa looked up at him and squinted suspiciously.

"Jadeite, huh? That's some kind of rock, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes, sir" Jadeite stuttered.

"Hmm…are your parents into that sort of thing, then? I've never heard of anyone with that name before."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that…" Jadeite agreed, praying the issue would not be pressed any further. Luckily, after thinking it over, Grandpa let it go.

"Okay, then, Jadeite…I have another question for you."

"Yes, sir?"

"What are your intentions with my granddaughter? You're not some lowlife dirtbag who's just going to leave her someday, are you? Because if you are, you can take that rose and shove it up your…" before he could say anything more, Jadeite cut him off.

"N-No, sir. I would never do that to Rei. She's very special to me." Hearing this made Grandpa calm down, and he smiled up at Jadeite.

"I'm glad to hear that. Do you want me to leave those in her room for her?" Jadeite nodded and thanked him, then turned to walk away. Soon, he was back at Mamoru's apartment. He opened the door and walked inside slowly, still shaken from his interaction with Rei's Grandpa.

"Are you okay?" Mamoru asked. Jadeite walked past him completely and walked into his room, shutting the door behind him. Mamoru turned to the others and scratched his head.

"That was weird" he muttered. Zoisite chuckled and shook his head.

"Oh, Rei's crazy grandpa probably got ahold of him. He'll be alright." A few hours later, Jadeite emerged from his room.

"You look a lot better" Nephrite said, eyeing him.

"Thanks" Jadeite said quietly, managing a half smile. He grabbed a slice of pizza from the box on the table and sat down on the couch. Not saying another word, he began to pick at the pizza nervously.

"What's the matter with you? We've never seen you like this" Mamoru asked, concerned. Jadeite looked up and shook his head.

"Oh, it's nothing" he replied, silently praying that no one would be able to tell he was lying.

"Okay, if you're sure…" Mamoru replied, then suddenly stood up. He walked into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a small bubble envelope. He handed it to Jadeite and sat back down in his chair. "This came for you while you were gone." Jadeite opened the envelope and pulled out a small black box. He smiled and stood up, walking over to slip the box in his jacket pocket. A yawn escaped his lips, and he turned to look at the clock.

"It's late…I'm going to bed. See you guys sometime tomorrow" he said, turning into the hallway. After changing into his pajamas and settling into his bed, he was asleep within minutes.

-February 14th-

The next morning, Jadeite woke up feeling surprisingly rested. He quickly showered and got dressed, then quietly left the apartment so as not to wake anyone else up. He walked down the street to the coffee shop where he and Rei had their first date, and a smile spread across his face when he saw her sitting inside waiting for him. He walked inside and greeted her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Good morning!" he greeted her cheerfully.

"Good morning" she replied softly, smiling.

"I see you got my card" he said, blushing softly. Rei blushed and nodded.

"Yeah, and I got an earful from grandpa about not telling him I was seeing anyone" she giggled. "I hope he didn't give you too much of a hard time…"

"No, not at all. He was…pleasant" Jadeite said with a nervous chuckle. He stood up and turned toward the counter, turning his head to look at Rei before he walked off. "I'm going to order our drinks." Rei nodded and watched him walk away. When he returned and sat back down, neither of them said anything. Instead, they became lost in one another's eyes. They were snapped back to reality by the waitress' voice.

"I have two hot chocolates and an order of macaroons…hello? Hello?" Jadeite blushed and looked at the waitress, nodded.

"Y-yeah, that's right. Sorry about that" he mumbled. The waitress giggled and turned to walk away.

"It's alright. It's Valentine's Day, and you have a pretty date. I understand. You two enjoy!" she said with a wink. After she walked away, Rei and Jadeite began talking.

"You know, this is absolutely perfect" Rei said with a smile. "I wouldn't want to be with anyone else right now." Jadeite blushed and reached for her hand, smiling shyly.

"Neither would I" he said softly. "I'm glad you're enjoying this, but I hope you like what else I have planned too."

"I'm sure I will" Rei said. "What else are we doing?"

"You'll see" Jadeite replied, grinning. After they finished their drinks, they left the coffee shop. Rei knew it would be pointless to ask what they were doing next, so she let Jadeite show her.

"Did you remember to bring your ice skates?" he asked, and Rei nodded, holding up a red bag. After walking a little more, they arrived at the lake, which was completely frozen over. The sun was shining on the ice, making it sparkle. There were snow drifts all around the lake, which would make for a soft landing if either of them fell. Seeing this caused Rei to gasp in awe.

"It's beautiful" she murmured. Jadeite put his skates on and helped her into hers, then carefully guided her onto the ice. After they both regained their balance, they began to glide across the ice, hand in hand. After a while, Jadeite looked over at Rei and spoke.

"Are you having fun?" he asked. Rei nodded at him and blushed slightly.

"This day just keeps getting more and more perfect" she sighed dreamily.

"I'm glad" Jadeite said. "I was so nervous about coming up with the perfect way to spend the day with you."

"What were you nervous about?" Rei asked, giggling. "You should know by now that just being with you makes me happy. It doesn't matter what we're doing" she assured him. Jadeite breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"You don't know how relieved I am to hear you say that" he chuckled.

"You and I are meant to be together. What could possibly go wrong?" Rei asked. A moment later, her question would be answered. The blade of Jadeite's skate caught in a nick in the ice, causing the pair to tumble into a snow bank. They stood up and brushed the snow off them as best they could, but they were still soaked.

"I'm so sorry" Jadeite groaned. "I'll take you home so you can change." After the pair changed out of their skates, they began the chilly walk back to the shrine. Jadeite waited at the bottom of the stairs to make sure Rei got in okay, then sulked his way back to the apartment. He walked inside and slammed the door behind him, grumbling in the doorway. Zoisite, who was walking down the hall, stopped to look at him.

"What happened?" he asked. Jadeite buried his face in his hands and slumped to the floor, exhaling shakily.

"I threw her into a snow bank" he muttered. Confused, Zoisite urged him to tell exactly what had happened. After hearing the story, he thought for a moment, then spoke.

"You know, you're making this out to be a lot worse than it is. That could have happened to anyone. I'm sure she's not upset."

"Really?" Jadeite asked, looking up at him. Zoisite nodded.

"Seriously, it's probably fine. Don't be so hard on yourself." Taking Zoisite's words to heart, Jadeite finally stood up and walked into his room to change into dry clothes. After a few minutes, he decided to go back to the shrine to see if Rei was ready to go. She greeted him at the door, and after a moment they were on their way again.

"So, where are we off to now?" Rei asked. Jadeite shook his head and grabbed her hand.

"Right, like you're going to get that information out of me that easily" he chuckled. Rei sighed and rolled her eyes. After walking for a while, they arrived at the winter street fair. The streets were lined with booths offering different things, and Rei was immediately drawn to the one where they were selling silk scarves. Jadeite followed her over to it and smiled contentedly as he watched her admiring all of them.

"Would you like one?" he asked. Rei looked at him, and her cheeks flushed.

"Really?" she asked softly. Jadeite smiled at her and nodded.

"Sure. Pick whichever one you'd like." Rei turned back to the booth and agonized over her decision for a few minutes before looking over her shoulder at Jadeite.

"I don't know which one to pick…they're all so beautiful. How about you pick one for me?" she asked. Jadeite stepped forward and looked for a moment, then reached out and grabbed a red and gold one. He paid for it, then handed it to Rei and she carefully folded it up, then tucked it into her purse.

After walking around the fair for a couple more hours, they were ready to leave. The sun would be setting soon, and they didn't want to be caught outside when it got dark. They decided to head back to the shrine and watch the sunset. When they arrived, they went inside and Rei made some tea. Afterwards, they carefully carried their cups outside. They sat on one of the benches just outside the shrine and sipped their tea, and Jadeite had his arm protectively draped over Rei's shoulders. . As the sun set, Jadeite saw this as the perfect opportunity to give her one last thing.

"I have something for you" he said shakily. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the small black box, and he could instantly feel Rei's body go completely rigid.

"Jadeite is that a…" he shook his head and chuckled softly.

"No, don't worry. It's not a ring. Not yet, anyway. Go ahead and open it" he said, his voice still shaking. He placed the box in her hand and she sucked in a breath before opening it. Inside, she found a sterling silver necklace with a diamond and ruby encrusted heart pendant.

"It's beautiful" she gasped. A tear rolled down her cheek and Jadeite gently reached over to wipe it away. She turned to face him, then leaned in and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Do you want me to help you put it on?" Jadeite asked. Rei nodded and took the necklace out of the box and handed it to him. He struggled for a few moments to move her thick, dark hair out of the way, and she giggled.

"Hold on" she said softly. She reached into her purse and pulled out the scarf, tying her hair up in it and pushing it to the side. "There. Is that better?"

"Yeah, much better" Jadeite chuckled as he put the necklace on her.

"Thank you" she whispered. Even though it was dark outside, Rei could tell that Jadeite was blushing. A cold breeze blew past them and Rei shivered, snuggling into him. Without hesitation, he took his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders, then pulled her into his lap. They sat together watching the stars dance in the sky, neither of them speaking for a while. Jadeite finally cut through the silence.

"I had a great day with you, Rei" he said softly. When she didn't respond, he spoke again. "Rei?" he looked down at her and noticed that she had fallen asleep. He carefully carried her inside and laid her on her bed, kissing her forehead before turning to walk out of the room.

"Happy Valentine's Day" he whispered before shutting the door behind him.


	11. Roses

Roses

Makoto sat alone in her small apartment, trying to concentrate on her studies. The high school entrance exams were coming up, and she wanted to do the best she could on them. After a while, she sighed and closed her math book, setting it on the table. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes and began to daydream.

 _Flashback_

 _"_ _Serenity, where are you?" Sailor Mars called out. Hearing this, Jupiter poked her head around the corner and sighed._

 _"_ _She probably snuck away to see that prince again" she sighed. Mars grumbled in frustration and turned to the taller guardian._

 _"_ _Will you go look for her this time? I've just about had it with her sneaking off like this." Jupiter nodded and turned to leave the palace. After arriving on earth, she began to search for the princess. She soon found herself on the palace grounds, and knew she had to be careful not to get caught. After some time, Jupiter spotted Serenity and Endymion sitting by the stream. How was she going to retrieve the princess without being spotted? As she began to think of her next move, she heard footsteps behind her._

 _"_ _You know you're trespassing, right?" a calm, but firm voice said suddenly, causing her to jump. Jupiter whirled around, ready to fight if she had to._

 _"_ _I-I'm sorry" she murmured. "I was just looking for someone." The man chuckled softly and nodded._

 _"_ _You must be talking about Serenity, right?"_

 _"_ _Yes, that's right" Jupiter said, blushing slightly._

 _"_ _So, that must mean you're one of her guardians then."_

 _"_ _I am. I'm Sailor Jupiter" Jupiter replied, the blush still apparent on her face._

 _"_ _It's nice to meet you. I'm Nephrite, one of Endymion's knights."_

 _"_ _It's nice to meet you, too" Jupiter said softly, glancing shyly at the ground._

 _"_ _Well, Jupiter, now that we've been formally introduced, I guess I can overlook your trespassing" Nephrite said with a wink. "You won't be so lucky if the palace guards catch you, though, so you should leave."_

 _"_ _But, I have to get the princess…" Jupiter protested._

 _"_ _Don't worry. I'll let her know you were here looking for her. In the meantime…" Nephrite's voice trailed off as he walked over to one of the rose bushes and plucked a vibrant pink rose from it. He walked over to Jupiter and held it out to her. "Take this."_

 _"_ _What's this for?" Jupiter asked shyly as she accepted the rose._

 _"_ _It's a gift. Think of it as a sign that we'll meet again." Jupiter could feel her face getting hot as Nephrite spoke._

 _"_ _Thank you" she said softly. Just then, she could hear the palace guards getting close._

 _"_ _You've got to get out of here before they spot you" Nephrite instructed. Jupiter turned to run, but before she could leave, Nephrite reached out and grabbed her hand. She turned to look at him, and her lips were suddenly met with his. "Until we meet again, Jupiter…"_

Makoto was snapped out of her daydream by a knock on the door. She quickly jumped up and walked over to the door.

"Who is it?" she called out cautiously.

"It's Minako" the person on the other side of the door said with a giggle. "Did you forget we were supposed to go out today?" Makoto chuckled to herself and opened the door, then reached out to hug Minako.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I was studying, and I guess I fell asleep."

"It's okay" Minako said, giggling again. "I have to ask though, what kind of dreams were you having?" she asked with a wink.

"What are you talking about?" Makoto asked, confused.

"You're blushing" Minako said, raising an eyebrow. Makoto quickly covered her cheeks, but the look on her face gave her away.

"It…it was nothing, really. I was just thinking about when Nephrite and I first met" Makoto said shyly, smiling at the thought of him.

"Oh, yeah! I remember that!" Minako giggled, turning to look at Makoto. "Do you remember how much we used to tease you about that?"

 _Flashback_

 _When Jupiter arrived back at the Moon Castle, she was greeted by Mars, who was still visibly frustrated._

 _"_ _Did you find the princess?" she asked when she saw Jupiter in the courtyard. Jupiter nodded, and attempted to hide the rose from Mars' sight._

 _"_ _Yes, I did."_

 _"_ _Where is she, then?" Mars asked sternly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Jupiter dragged the toe of her boot across the stone walkway and tried to think of an excuse as to why Serenity wasn't with her. In a matter of seconds, the subject changed as Mars eyed the rose in Jupiter's hand._

 _"_ _What's that?" she asked curiously. Jupiter blushed slightly and tried to hide the rose behind her back._

 _"_ _Oh, it's nothing" she said softly._

 _"_ _It's definitely something…give it to me" Mars insisted, reaching behind Jupiter's back and sliding the flower out of her hand._

 _"_ _Be careful, don't break it" Jupiter said cautiously._

 _"_ _Oh, I get it. I know exactly what's going on here" Mars said with a smirk. Just then, Mercury and Venus joined the two of them._

 _"_ _What's going on? Is everything okay?" Venus asked, sounding worried._

 _"_ _Oh, everything's fine, isn't it Jupiter?" Mars asked, turning toward the tall brunette._

 _"_ _Yeah, everything's great" Jupiter agreed. Mercury and Venus noticed the rose, and their curiosity was peaked._

 _"_ _What's that?" Mercury asked._

 _"_ _Jupiter has a boyfriend" Mars teased. The other two guardians turned to look at her._

 _"_ _What?!"_

 _"_ _No, it's not like that at all. I met one of Endymion's guardians when I was looking for Serenity, and he gave it to me" Jupiter said, smiling shyly._

 _"_ _It wasn't Jadeite, was it?" Mars asked defensively._

 _"_ _No, it was Nephrite" Jupiter said, and Mars instantly calmed down._

 _"_ _Good, because he's mine" Mars said with a wink._

"I remember that too well" Makoto said with a chuckle.

"Those were the best days" Minako sighed happily. "Hey, do you think Nephrite giving you that rose has something to do with why you love them so much in this life?" Minako asked, turning her head toward Makoto.

"I guess that could be why" Makoto said with a shrug. The two girls then set off for a day of shopping, coffee and laughter. It was a nice break from studying, but Makoto decided she needed to get back to it. Minako walked with her back to her apartment, and when Makoto opened the door, she gasped. Sitting on the coffee table was a large vase filled with vibrant pink roses. Noticing the card sticking out of the vase, Makoto walked over to read it. Just as she finished, Nephrite appeared from around the corner and smiled shyly.

"How did you get in here?" Makoto asked, blushing shyly. Nephrite grinned cheekily and, saying nothing, gestured toward Minako.

"I may have had something to do with it" she said with a wink. "I know where you keep your spare key so I took it the other day when you weren't looking" she giggled.

"You two…" Makoto sighed, chuckling softly.

"Well, I should get going. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone" Minako said, winking again.

"I'll be studying…" Makoto sighed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, I bet you will" Minako teased, running down the stairs before Makoto could catch her. When the blonde was out of sight, Makoto shut the door and giggled. She walked over to the couch and motioned for Nephrite to join her. He hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat next to her.

"If you need to study, I can come back later…" he said.

"It can wait" Makoto murmured, laying her head on his shoulder. She glanced once more at the vase of roses and smiled softly before drifting off to sleep in Nephrite's arms.


	12. Sick Day

Sick Day

Rei slowly opened her eyes, immediately blinded by the sun streaming in through the window. She groaned and rolled over, putting her pillow over her face to block it out. Jadeite, who had been sleeping next to her, stirred and looked at her concernedly.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She groaned again in response, pulling the blanket up over her head. Jadeite quickly grabbed it and pulled it down, then reached under the pillow to stroke her cheek. A moment later, she emerged, revealing her pale, tear stained face to him.

"I think I'm sick" she whispered, afraid to speak any louder due to the burning in her throat. Jadeite gently put his hand on her forehead and nodded slightly.

"You do feel a little warm…" He leaned down to kiss her forehead before getting up to find a thermometer, just to be sure. He returned a moment later with the thermometer, a cold cloth for her forehead, aspirin and a glass of water. She tried to sit up, but collapsed back onto the bed.

"I'm going to have to cancel with the girls…" Rei sighed, disappointed that she would miss out on shopping and a movie later. She weakly reached for her phone to text them, immediately getting a flood of texts back, offering to come take care of her instead. She refused, assuring them that Jadeite was with her so she was fine.

"I'm sorry…I know how much you were looking forward to going with them today" Jadeite said with a sigh. "But on the bright side, you're stuck with me, if that makes you feel better." Rei let out a small chuckle and reached for his hand.

"It does…but I don't want you to get sick" Rei sighed. Jadeite scoffed and chuckled softly.

"It'll take more than a cold to take me down" he replied, leaning in to kiss her softly. She returned the kiss and smiled at him.

"I love you" she said softly, blushing at how her voice sounded. Jadeite picked up on her insecurity and gently pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you too…and you sound beautiful." Rei shook her head and smacked him playfully.

"I do not, you're only saying that because you love me."

"You know what they say…'in sickness and in health'" he chuckled, winking at her. She shook her head again and chuckled.

"You're making it sound like we're married or something."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" he asked, making her blush more.

"Well, no…of course not…" She bit her lip nervously and Jadeite chuckled, brushing her raven hair from her face.

"I didn't mean to make you nervous" he said quietly, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Rei put her hand on his and smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I know the subject would have come up eventually." She stifled a yawn and curled up on the bed. "I think I'm going to get some rest. You can stay with me if you want to…" Jadeite nodded and laid down next to her, hooking his arm around her waist and kissing her cheek. As soon as he could tell she was asleep, he sat up and pulled out his phone to send out a quick text.

Jadeite: Plans are off, Rei is sick.

Mamoru: That's too bad…she doesn't suspect anything, does she?

"Jadeite: I don't think so.

Mamoru: Good.

Jadeite: I have a plan, though.

Moments later, Rei stirred and looked over at him. He frantically hid his phone from her, trying to play it cool.

"Did you sleep okay?" he asked. She yawned and nodded.

"I always sleep well with you…" she paused, picking up on something slightly off. "Are _you_ okay?" she asked. Jadeite shifted nervously and nodded, hoping he was convincing.

"I couldn't be better. I'm just worried about you."

"I know you are. Are you sure that's all?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I promise, I'm fine. I'm going to make you some tea" he said, smiling sweetly at Rei before leaving the room. She watched him leave, still feeling confused. After leaving the room, he ducked into the living room and walked over to the coatrack, pulling something out of his jacket pocket. He smiled, put it back, then walked to the kitchen to make tea for his love. Once it was finished, he brought it to her along with some toast and strawberries. She immediately began eating and sipping at the tea while he sat beside her, stroking her hair. After she was finished, she turned to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you, Jade. I don't know what I would do without you."

"You'd probably starve" he teased, leaving to get her some more fruit. She gazed out the window and sipped her tea, finally starting to feel well enough to get out of bed. She walked out to the living room and toward the couch, tripping on the coatrack and jostling it. A small box fell from Jadeite's pocked and she picked it up, opening it and gasping when she saw what was inside.

"No way…" she whispered, jumping as Jadeite walked up behind her. She turned to face him, and be blushed, seeing that she had discovered the very thing he had been hiding from her. He quickly tried to think of a way to cover it up.

"You found it…" he sighed, mildly disappointed. Rei looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Jade, is this…?" He nodded, shuffling his foot across the carpet.

"It is. It was supposed to be a surprise…promise you won't tell Usagi?" Rei looked at him, confused.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Mamoru is going to ask Usagi to marry him…he asked me to hide the ring here for him. We had it all planned out, but plans kind of fell through when you got sick" he explained, hoping Rei believed him. She nodded and smiled.

"I see…my lips are sealed" she said, winking. Jadeite chuckled and handed her another bowl of berries, and a glass of orange juice. She gulped down the juice and began picking at the berries, sighing happily. Jadeite turned his back to her and breathed a sigh of relief, putting the ring back in his jacket pocket.

"Can I get you anything else?" he asked. Rei shook her head and patted the couch next to her, smiling at him.

"Come sit with me" she said with a smile, and he obliged. He put his arm around her and she leaned into him, smiling. "Thank you for taking care of me today. I'd be a mess if it wasn't for you." Jadeite chuckled and rubbed her shoulder.

"I'm glad I could be here for you." He carefully leaned over to kiss the top of her head, letting his fingers fall into her hair. She leaned into his touch, smiling peacefully.

"I think I'm going to take a bath" she murmured, getting up and walking to the bathroom. Jadeite followed, insisting that she allows him to get it ready for her. Once the tub is full, he leaves, shutting the door behind him. Rei stripped down and climbed in the tub, breathing in the calming lavender and lemon scents. She stays in until the water is almost cold then gets out, dries off and gets dressed, feeling much better. She walks back out to the living room and gasps. While she was in the bath, Jadeite filled the entire room with candles and roses. She found him kneeling down on one knee, holding a single rose in one hand and a jewelry box in the other.

"Surprised?" he asked. Rei nodded, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Jade…seriously?" she giggled, her voice shaking with emotion. He nodded and motioned for her to come closer. She did, and he took her hand, taking a deep breath before speaking again.

"I wasn't expecting to do this like this, but at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what I say, or where I say it. I love you, Rei. You are the part of my heart I never knew was missing, and I never want to be without you again. Will you be my wife?"

"Jade…of course I will. I love you so much…" She smiled and knelt beside him, kissing him as he placed the ring on her finger.

"I love you more" he chuckled, kissing her back.


End file.
